Speaker says only MCP and UDF to give official response to budget: Not tiny UTM, PP
Speaker of Parliament Catherine Gotani Hara announced that only Malawi Congress Party (MCP) and United Democratic Front (UDF) will give official response to the 2019/20 national budget statement when the House re-convene for general debate as tiny parties UTM and PP will not be making formal statements.
UTM and Peoples Party (PP) have four and five legislators in the House respectively while MCP is the main opposition party with over 50 MPs while the erstwhile ruling UDF has 10 representatives.
Minister of Finance, Economic Planning and Development Joseph Mwanamvekha presented the K1.731 trillion 2019/20 National Budget statement in Parliament on Monday.
The House has now gone into Cluster Committees to scrutinize the Budget from in line with Standing Order 137(2).
After Cluster Committee meetings, the House will re-convene on Tuesday September 24 2019 for general debate on the Budget.
Speaker said before the general debate, there will be responses by the opposition party spokespersons on finance.
“Therefore, according to Standing Order 190(1)(d), it will be MCP and UDF [who will give official responses from the opposition],” said the Speaker .
“Thereafter, it will be a response from the Chairperson of the Budget Committee, to be followed by reports by the Chairpersons of Cluster Committees, before the General Debate on the Budget,” Gotani-Hara added.
According to the Speaker, it is expected that the general debate will be concluded on Monday, October 7 2019 with a winding-up speech by Minister of Finance Mwanamvekha.
“Immediately after the winding-up speech, the House will go into a Committee of Supply, which is expected to be concluded by Wednesday, 9th October, 2019,” the Speaker said.
“From Thursday, 10th October, to Friday, 11th October, 2019 before adjournment Sine Die, the House will pass the Appropriation Bill and also consider the remaining business on the Order Paper,” she added.
Leader of the House Kondwani Nankhumwa confrmed that the announcement by the Speaker is “a true reflection” of what transpired during the Business Committee meeting of parliament.
Acting leader of opposition, Lobin Lowe of MCP also said what the Speaker communicated is “exactly” what transpired during the business committee meeting.
And UDF’s leader in the House, Lilian Patel also confirmed that is the position of Business Committee.
Meanwhile, , Economics Association of Malawi (Ecama) president Chikumbutso Kalilombe described the budget as balanced, observing that some issues that were suggested during consultations have been taken on board.
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I think UDF should be replaced by UTM on official budget response. Commanding 1 million plus voters ain’t a mean achievement for party just 7 months old!
ingotini duuuuuuu.
a spika tsopano kumva kukoma ndi ndalama yolandilila kumanzere. tinguti ceteeeeer
apart from being tiny parties speaker saw them useless senseless..ku court zawavutanso agaluwa
Shaaaa tiny party shaaaa as if you Speaker are joking
You fools,the only Party in Malawi today,is the UTM the Party of the people.Dpp and MCP are by far rogue Parties without substance and that is why overwhelming supporters attend UTM Rallies ,the Party led by a young man with brilliant massage to the supporters.How would someone follow tired Parties like the killer MCP and corrupt DPP who have created immense political and economic catastrophe Malawi had never seen before.How would the people of Malawi being misled by two rogue brothers who did not even take part in the liberation of our country? For your information Malawians,Bingu and Mathanyula were… Read more »
Walya vichi Musowoya?
UTM has 1m voters out here and you can not call it a tiny party. That is ruddeness
Kkkkkk mundithandizr kudabwa 1million votes ma mp 4, bolatu ku court akanadandawula kuti anawabera ma mp zikanamvekako
Three parties(including AFORD) will not comment. Even the Independent MPS, who are in large numbers will not comment, which I think is not good.
where is the much touted UTM- Party? My God. Its president Saulosi anatitsanzika kale kwa Kauma. Lero akamati its a tiny party i wonder. Akweni muli kuti? A Jessie kodi mwabwelera ku Chalk ku Chnaco? Nanga a Malunga Chidanti? What about Moya Masangwi? Che Manganya mulipo? I dont see you ku Court. Mwatopa kale? Munasiya Prado ija ya ADRA lero mukudalira tikuferanj? Tractor Munakwera ku Comesa ija ili kuti lodi mutipatse tikalimire. You guys came with pomp koma munafulumira kulankhula che ARAFATI. Mau anu akutsatani . Lero speaker kumakutchulani tiny parties ndi PP ya Mama Mtila. Shame
Mafunso awa nde in KGs, ayankhidwe basi.
Matama onse aja anali empty eti?
Shaaaaaa!!!! ana a Absalomu Chilima you are just useless MPs you cannot contribute anything regarding the budget kkkkk !!!!!!! ndipo this is just the begginning of the worst – muyaluka ngati mfiti yogwa palichero.
🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣Mfiti yogwa palichero unayiwona Kuti Jamax. Uzicheza bwinotu. God humbles the proud but gives Grace to the humble.
Kkkkkk ng’oma yolilitsa sikharitsa chilima analephera kugwira ntchito ngati wachiwiri wa tsogoleri wadziko .kuli bwanji atakhala president
Absalom ndi Lazalo vuto ndi pride ija idamgadabuza Lucifer from Heaven